Nearly four years ago, Rihanna became embattled in a grandiose abuse scandal with former flame Chris Brown that divided opinions and left many questioning whether or not she could salvage her career from the smoldering wreckage. She then released the predictably dark Rated R, which was quickly followed up with 2010's 6x platinum-selling Loud, announcing her comeback in full force. Rihanna released the slightly disappointing Talk That Talk last November, and she returns a year later to gift us with her seventh and most recent album, Unapologetic. The newest disc from the Barbados-born artist is a mixed bag at best, with one especially noteworthy and controversial exception.
Rather than running from the Chris Brown saga for all of eternity, she faces it literally head on with "Nobody's Business", which sees the temptress duet with the man who once brought her so much public humiliation. Not only is it ripe with a juicy back story, but it's also quite good; the driving club beat and piano make it extremely dance friendly and the song is excellently produced. The lyrics "Ain't nobody's business/just mine and my baby," really highlights what the on and off couple was wanting all along: a chance to heal and gain closure away from the spotlight. It seems they have not only done that, but have grown closer in the process. Quite honestly, it's some of the most revealing and refreshing material she has released in years. They obviously enjoyed making this track with one another, as you can hear almost instantly the chemistry the two of them possess. I would call it an electricity, if you will.
The rest of the material could have used the same energy.
Lead single "Diamonds" is a poor retread of a style she has done with more flair and bombast in the past and is dull in comparison to most of the singles in her back catalog. It just sounds unfinished to me. Most derivative of all is "Jump", which sees Rihanna murder the Genuine hit "Ride My Pony" via dubstep assault. Staying within the realm of dubstep/pop fusion is the slightly better "Right Now", which features current media sensation David Guetta. Rihanna continues to play it safe on R&B dud "Loveeeee Song", an undercooked and underwhelming track that could have used more time in the oven. Perhaps worst of all is "Stay", a tepid ballad that is an utter snore fest. Simply put, Unapologetic contains an inexcusable amount of filler, even for an album with 14 songs. It's never a good thing if half of your album sounds like a demo, especially when it isn't due to poor production values, but rather the sound of an artist casually resting on her laurels, continually relying on regurgitated ideas and mismatched genres to haphazardly patch together an album.
However, there are a few other bright spots to be found, although they are too few and far between. Opener "Phresh Out the Runway" is an electronic spasm of a song, as the instrumentation borrows heavily from Crystal Castles. It's an interesting sound for her, to say the least. One can feel Rihanna claw back to her reggae roots on "No Love Allowed", a pleasant surprise for longtime fans. It's on these tracks where she breaks free of the mold she has now established for herself and generates some of her best work.
If this is your first introduction to Rihanna, Unapologetic will ultimately fail to resonate with you. It sounds almost hollow at times, like it's missing that extra little something, that tangible spark. Lets hope she finds it again, and quickly.
6.2/10
Monday, November 26, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Dos!-Green Day
Punk-rock band Green Day had the world at their fingertips following American Idiot; They were certainly one of the biggest if not the biggest band in the world at the time. That album somewhat divided their loyal fan base into two camps: Those who latched onto the band's earlier punk sound, who started to deride the band for their newfound success, and those who thoroughly enjoyed American Idiot and it's political commentary. It seemed at the time like there was little grey area on the subject. For fans of their earlier work, Dos! is a reminder that things never should have changed. For some of their newer fans, you might be left thinking "This isn't the Green Day I know, but I like it." If you have never listened to a Green Day album before, this is as good of an introduction as you'll find. There is something for everyone here.
"Ashley" could be the best example of Green Day going back to their punk roots, as the high tempo thrashing from Billy and the rest of the crew is great. "You say that you're fine/but I know that you ain't/you're looking like hell/and you're no fucking saint," snarls Armstrong over the hyper propelled instrumentation. There is "Lady Cobra", the most rock and roll statement the band has recorded in years. It's a fun song, but it has some serious bite to it as well. The excellent and aptly named "Wow! That's Loud" is a rush of guitar solos that sees the band unleash into a frenzy rarely seen from them. It's a huge surprise and an extremely pleasant one at that. I really love the production of "Lazy Bones", which has a Strokes-level of bareness to it that is really welcomed considering the rest of the album is fleshed out and full sounding. A tight, concise rhythm section plays over Billie singing "I'm too mental to go crazy/i'm too drunk to be pure/and my mind is playing tricks on me/and I can't sleep tonight because I'm so tired/I can't take it anymore, I'm with all the liars/Like a prisoner of war," very revealing stuff considering his public meltdown and subsequent rehab stint. He's a rather troubled individual, and you can tell it's genuine here.
Instrumentally speaking, "Makeout Party" is really good; I just wouldn't recommend it to those who like their music to be partnered with meaningful or thought provoking lyrics. It's rather tacky and almost embarrassing to hear a man in his 40's shouting on about "Spinning the bottle" and "Make out parties from another dimension." Don't you think you're a little old for that stuff, Billie? What about the overtly named "Fuck Time", which has even sillier lyrics considering the messenger. Musically, it's above average stuff, certainly nothing that would damage the reputation the band.
The same can't be said for the truly awful "Nightlife", quite honestly the worst song I've heard of the year. It's that bad. Listen to it solely for purpose of learning what not to do when crossing over genres. I don't know how this one made it onto the final disc. Slightly better but still not that good is "Wild One", a numbing affair of repetition and banality. It's just not particularly interesting material. Lead single "Stray Heart" has a warm, bouncing bass line, although that is the lone redeeming quality here. It's too poppy for my taste. The same goes for "Baby Eyes"; It's not bad, it's just not my taste. In my opinion, it's a little too soft and safe. The opening track "See You Tonight" is pretty boring, which is made bearable since the song is short. Once again, It didn't really need to be included.
The fact that Dos! is an above average album should be a feather in the cap of Green Day, considering the two increasingly lackluster albums that preceded it. It gives hope that maybe, just maybe, Green Day isn't out of ideas just yet. 78/100
"Ashley" could be the best example of Green Day going back to their punk roots, as the high tempo thrashing from Billy and the rest of the crew is great. "You say that you're fine/but I know that you ain't/you're looking like hell/and you're no fucking saint," snarls Armstrong over the hyper propelled instrumentation. There is "Lady Cobra", the most rock and roll statement the band has recorded in years. It's a fun song, but it has some serious bite to it as well. The excellent and aptly named "Wow! That's Loud" is a rush of guitar solos that sees the band unleash into a frenzy rarely seen from them. It's a huge surprise and an extremely pleasant one at that. I really love the production of "Lazy Bones", which has a Strokes-level of bareness to it that is really welcomed considering the rest of the album is fleshed out and full sounding. A tight, concise rhythm section plays over Billie singing "I'm too mental to go crazy/i'm too drunk to be pure/and my mind is playing tricks on me/and I can't sleep tonight because I'm so tired/I can't take it anymore, I'm with all the liars/Like a prisoner of war," very revealing stuff considering his public meltdown and subsequent rehab stint. He's a rather troubled individual, and you can tell it's genuine here.
Instrumentally speaking, "Makeout Party" is really good; I just wouldn't recommend it to those who like their music to be partnered with meaningful or thought provoking lyrics. It's rather tacky and almost embarrassing to hear a man in his 40's shouting on about "Spinning the bottle" and "Make out parties from another dimension." Don't you think you're a little old for that stuff, Billie? What about the overtly named "Fuck Time", which has even sillier lyrics considering the messenger. Musically, it's above average stuff, certainly nothing that would damage the reputation the band.
The same can't be said for the truly awful "Nightlife", quite honestly the worst song I've heard of the year. It's that bad. Listen to it solely for purpose of learning what not to do when crossing over genres. I don't know how this one made it onto the final disc. Slightly better but still not that good is "Wild One", a numbing affair of repetition and banality. It's just not particularly interesting material. Lead single "Stray Heart" has a warm, bouncing bass line, although that is the lone redeeming quality here. It's too poppy for my taste. The same goes for "Baby Eyes"; It's not bad, it's just not my taste. In my opinion, it's a little too soft and safe. The opening track "See You Tonight" is pretty boring, which is made bearable since the song is short. Once again, It didn't really need to be included.
The fact that Dos! is an above average album should be a feather in the cap of Green Day, considering the two increasingly lackluster albums that preceded it. It gives hope that maybe, just maybe, Green Day isn't out of ideas just yet. 78/100
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The 2nd Law-Muse
Fresh off the heels of The Resistance, which saw Muse reach new heights in popularity, comes The 2nd Law. Whereas the album before was more of a space-rock opera, Muse decided to break free of that mold for their 6th album. Although better than it's predecessor, The 2nd Law is an example of how trying to mix too many different flavors together can be a bad idea.
Things certainly start out promising enough. Opening track "Supremacy" almost sounds like it could have been on Absolution. Despite the vague similarities to classic Led Zeppelin song "Kashmir" (which lets be honest, isn't a bad thing at all), the first song does a great job of capturing the attention of the listener with it's horselike rhythmic drumming and extremely epic chorus, which has Bellamy screaming at the top of his lungs. It's a great start to the album, I just wish there was more like it. The closest thing would be "Liquid State", featuring vocals and a heavy riff from bassist Chris Wolfenstein. Drummer Dom Howard surely has a great time playing this one live, too. Also, there's the surprisingly good "Animals", which sounds like the best song that Minus The Bear never wrote. The ending is especially heaving and roaring, complete a great solo and a piercing, escalating intensity. One thing that I picked up on was the lyric "Kill yourself/come on/and do us all a favor," which reeks of bad taste in a society where everything is interpreted literally. On the songs previously mentioned, Muse played it somewhat carefully by sticking to what they do best.
When they venture into other genres however, the cookie starts to crumble. Lead single "Madness" sees the band going in an electronic direction with little success. Despite the electronics, it manages to sound just like Queen, but not in a good way, only a derivative one. As I'm sure you have heard by now, yes, Muse did a dub-step song. No, "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable" isn't particularly interesting or riveting considering what else is available in the genre, but it is unique in the sense that it was recorded entirely with real instruments and not computers. However, this does not help the song to sound any better. Not all of the experiments fail to produce desirable results. "Panic Station" is a fresh and interesting style for the band, although it seems unlikely Muse will continue with in that direction.
Even when they go back to what has worked in the past, success is mixed. There's "Survival", a little song you might have heard a few thousand times during the Olympic Games this past summer. The lyrics here reach an all new level of cheesiness, with Bellamy deadpanning "Race/life's a race/and I'm gonna win/yes I'm gonna win/I'll light the fuse/I'll never lose/I choose to survive/whatever it takes." It sounds like they took the whole winning and losing thing a little too seriously. All they had to was make Uprising Pt. 2 and call it a day. Muse and the Olympics should have been the perfect match. Instead, they released this stinker. After that you have "Save Me", and "Explorers", two tracks that sound just like nearly every other slow song they have done, excluding the ones on Absolution. That's without mentioning the "Prelude", which Muse incorrectly thought was necessary.
Muse has mentioned wanting to play a show from space. Unfortunately, they seem lost in it. 67/100
Monday, November 12, 2012
Lex Hives-The Hives
When The Hives released The Black and The White Album almost 6 years ago, it was met with a little less fanfare than they were accustomed to. Fans had come to expect a certain sound from them, and consequently, struggled somewhat with the different style of the 2007 release. Faced with somewhat dwindling support in the States, and with what lead singer Pele Holmqvist described as "Typical rock & roll bullshit" the band found themselves taking a much needed break. They return to the scene a half decade later with Lex Hives, and one thing seems clear: If nothing else, the break allowed them to renew their focus and figure out what it is that they do well.
This is evident from the get go, as Lex Hives sees the band forgoing the gimmicks and skits in favor of a more straightforward approach that is sure to be noticed by fans of the band. No folks, there are no "A Stroll Through Hives Manor Corridors" or "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." here; whereas those tracks unsuccessfully diverted from the successful formula The Hives have established for themselves, Lex Hives is a much more concentrated effort. Noticeable as soon as raucous opener "Come On!" fires up, The Hives didn't mess around in the studio. They've really focused on highlighting their strengths.
Speaking of strengths, lead single "Go Right Ahead" is a bombast of a track, despite royally aping "Don't Bring Me Down" by ELO. Even considering the striking similarity, what this song lacks in originality it makes up for in fun; even the lyrics are supposed to be lighthearted. "Like a tiger breaking out of the zoo/Do anything that you wanna do/The rumors you heard, they were all true," shouts Pele, cocky persona entirely intact. The Hives return to the more traditional punk sound favored on their earlier albums with track "1000 Answers", which sounds like it was recorded during a cocaine fueled late night drive. It's so fast and the strumming is so rapid that it will be over before you realize it, but it doesn't seem like the writing process was rushed or hurried as it's a well crafted song.
Like a fresh coat of paint on a familiar vehicle, The Hives offer up "Wait A Minute", the second single off of the disc. The bass is funky and blends seamlessly with the drums and the repeated lines of "wait a minute now/wait a minute/wait a minute now" and steady guitar work from the typically steadfast Vigilante Carlstroem and Nicholaus Arson. "Take Back The Toys" is an aggressive and perfect portrayal of what listeners have come to expect from the band. Quite possibly one of the best tracks the band has penned, the 7th track on Lex Hives is sure to to be a favorite amongst old and new listeners alike.
That isn't to say there aren't any missteps; "I Want More" is a curious choice with it's stripped down approach of mostly bass and drums. That may work for other songs in their catalog, but it comes across as somewhat unfinished here. It could certainly be better. There are several tracks that are lacking a spark or an intriguing element, such as "Patrolling Days", and "Without The Money". Worst of all, is "My Time Is Coming", a song that could have easily found a place on The Black and The White Album, which is to say it possesses a style that the band should steer clear of.
The album closes with a bang though, as "If I Had A Cent" is a powerful blast of strumming and hasty drumming. Album conclusion "Midnight Shifter" is an excellent representation of the positive qualities of the album: the tenacious strumming, carefree lyrics and general sense of confidence that finds an artist whenever they have hit their stride. For their sake, and ours, lets hope they don't break pace any time soon. 81/100
This is evident from the get go, as Lex Hives sees the band forgoing the gimmicks and skits in favor of a more straightforward approach that is sure to be noticed by fans of the band. No folks, there are no "A Stroll Through Hives Manor Corridors" or "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." here; whereas those tracks unsuccessfully diverted from the successful formula The Hives have established for themselves, Lex Hives is a much more concentrated effort. Noticeable as soon as raucous opener "Come On!" fires up, The Hives didn't mess around in the studio. They've really focused on highlighting their strengths.
Speaking of strengths, lead single "Go Right Ahead" is a bombast of a track, despite royally aping "Don't Bring Me Down" by ELO. Even considering the striking similarity, what this song lacks in originality it makes up for in fun; even the lyrics are supposed to be lighthearted. "Like a tiger breaking out of the zoo/Do anything that you wanna do/The rumors you heard, they were all true," shouts Pele, cocky persona entirely intact. The Hives return to the more traditional punk sound favored on their earlier albums with track "1000 Answers", which sounds like it was recorded during a cocaine fueled late night drive. It's so fast and the strumming is so rapid that it will be over before you realize it, but it doesn't seem like the writing process was rushed or hurried as it's a well crafted song.
Like a fresh coat of paint on a familiar vehicle, The Hives offer up "Wait A Minute", the second single off of the disc. The bass is funky and blends seamlessly with the drums and the repeated lines of "wait a minute now/wait a minute/wait a minute now" and steady guitar work from the typically steadfast Vigilante Carlstroem and Nicholaus Arson. "Take Back The Toys" is an aggressive and perfect portrayal of what listeners have come to expect from the band. Quite possibly one of the best tracks the band has penned, the 7th track on Lex Hives is sure to to be a favorite amongst old and new listeners alike.
That isn't to say there aren't any missteps; "I Want More" is a curious choice with it's stripped down approach of mostly bass and drums. That may work for other songs in their catalog, but it comes across as somewhat unfinished here. It could certainly be better. There are several tracks that are lacking a spark or an intriguing element, such as "Patrolling Days", and "Without The Money". Worst of all, is "My Time Is Coming", a song that could have easily found a place on The Black and The White Album, which is to say it possesses a style that the band should steer clear of.
The album closes with a bang though, as "If I Had A Cent" is a powerful blast of strumming and hasty drumming. Album conclusion "Midnight Shifter" is an excellent representation of the positive qualities of the album: the tenacious strumming, carefree lyrics and general sense of confidence that finds an artist whenever they have hit their stride. For their sake, and ours, lets hope they don't break pace any time soon. 81/100
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Mondo-Electric Guest
When Electric Guest teamed up with Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse,
success was ensured. It has been a long road up to this point.The
ambition of band member Asa Taccone, singer/songwriter, as well as
drummer Matthew Compton is undeniable; Burton has several Grammy's to
his name as well as a long list of acclaimed collaborators. The result:
an electronic dance and pop record that is well produced and honestly, a
lot of fun. Debut album Mondo, despite the inconsistencies, is a good launching point for a career.
Opener "Holes" is an offbeat number filled with dense lyrics and surrounded by a wash of synthesizers. It slowly builds over time, finally reaching a peak towards the end but ultimately fails to stand out. The following song, titled "This Head I Hold" wastes no time in bringing the fun. Catchy from the get-go, Asa designed a clever hook and rhythm that will certainly have you tapping your feet in delight. It's quirky and inviting all at once. "Awake" is one of the better songs as well, MGMT style chorus and mood included. The tempo change three-quarters in is welcomed and serves the song well, giving the last bit the legs it needs. The true highlight here, is the near 9 minute behemoth "Troubleman", a song that was clearly not written for airplay. That of course isn't why it's good: it's twisting, turning and ever morphing psychedelic grooves would be the reason. Asa sings "Me and my heart following the shadow she made/like a dull sky day I chased the sun/back at the start/I was still in love with the way/it's a long long way from what's become," like a man once curious with love but now unsatisfied. It's extremely catchy stuff, and absolutely worth the listen.
When Electric Guest experiment a little bit outside their box the results are decidedly more mixed. "Amber" is a weak song; It doesn't really fit with the rest of the album and is rather sluggish and tepid. When the repetitive nature of the lyrics are also considered, you have a recipe for a boring song."The Bait" is decent, albeit tedious. The final two tracks are somewhat paltry following the aforementioned "Troubleman" as neither do a good job of wrapping the album up with something memorable.
The album is somewhat of a mixed bag throughout, although there is some really good stuff here. The single is good, as well are several of the songs that are more aligned with that style. Other tracks see the band veer off course when they try to reach too much. Needless to say, I want more. 75/100
Opener "Holes" is an offbeat number filled with dense lyrics and surrounded by a wash of synthesizers. It slowly builds over time, finally reaching a peak towards the end but ultimately fails to stand out. The following song, titled "This Head I Hold" wastes no time in bringing the fun. Catchy from the get-go, Asa designed a clever hook and rhythm that will certainly have you tapping your feet in delight. It's quirky and inviting all at once. "Awake" is one of the better songs as well, MGMT style chorus and mood included. The tempo change three-quarters in is welcomed and serves the song well, giving the last bit the legs it needs. The true highlight here, is the near 9 minute behemoth "Troubleman", a song that was clearly not written for airplay. That of course isn't why it's good: it's twisting, turning and ever morphing psychedelic grooves would be the reason. Asa sings "Me and my heart following the shadow she made/like a dull sky day I chased the sun/back at the start/I was still in love with the way/it's a long long way from what's become," like a man once curious with love but now unsatisfied. It's extremely catchy stuff, and absolutely worth the listen.
When Electric Guest experiment a little bit outside their box the results are decidedly more mixed. "Amber" is a weak song; It doesn't really fit with the rest of the album and is rather sluggish and tepid. When the repetitive nature of the lyrics are also considered, you have a recipe for a boring song."The Bait" is decent, albeit tedious. The final two tracks are somewhat paltry following the aforementioned "Troubleman" as neither do a good job of wrapping the album up with something memorable.
The album is somewhat of a mixed bag throughout, although there is some really good stuff here. The single is good, as well are several of the songs that are more aligned with that style. Other tracks see the band veer off course when they try to reach too much. Needless to say, I want more. 75/100
Boys & Girls-Alabama Shakes
Every so often, an artist emerges who catches your attention upon the first few seconds of listening. Alabama Shakes, a fresh yet classic 70's sounding rock quartet, is one of those artists. I first discovered them via a live set they did on KCRW (check it out, it's fantastic) a few months before their debut album, Boys & Girls was released. After the rousing live set, I made sure to pick up the album when it came out.
Lead singer Brittany Howard possesses a voice evokes memories of legends past, such as Janis Joplin. She has the kind of voice that can sing any type of music and make it sound great. On lead single "Hold On" Howard sings "Bless my heart/bless my soul/didn't think I'd make it to 22 years old/There must me someone up above saying'/Come on Brittany, you got to come on up," over some bouncing bass, a steady, tapping drum beat and matching guitar parts. It's a good song no doubt; There's a reason why the band chose it as a single…It has an immediacy that is hard to deny. It gets you from the opening notes.
However, it may just be one of my least favorite songs on the album, a true testament to the strength of the disc as a whole. There's "Hang Loose" with the opening guitar hook and the keys that fill out the background and give the song a charm that's infectious. And that's not even mentioning Howard, who really belts it full force. The quiet, yet sneakily good "Goin' To The Party" brings things down to a hush before "Heartbreaker" crashes onto the scene with its 60's hard rock/soul flavor. The explosive "Be Mine" precedes the excellent "I Ain't The Same"- easily the highlight of the album. The next to last track on the LP is a great starting point if you want something a little more aggressive. The songwriting on the disc is typically good and especially so for a band with as little seasoning as them.
That's not to say the album is without flaws. "Rise To The Sun" utilizes a rather unpleasant guitar tone that overwhelms the rest of the track; Not to mention the chorus isn't especially noteworthy. It's a somewhat repetitive song, and the things that are being repeated aren't particularly interesting. Title track "Boys & Girls" is a tale about Howard in her youth, and how as she grew up she was told she could not keep her male best friend. There are certainly qualities about the song that I enjoy, namely her voice as it is rather soothing here as well as the story being told. However, I realize this song is not for everyone as it takes repeated listens until it fully reveals itself. Album closer "On Your Way" is a little heavy for my taste as the dream like instrumentation coupled with the quite depressing lyrics can be a little much if you are in a good mood. I appreciate a sad song every now and then, don't get me wrong. I just think it's a little much here.
All in all, it's an very solid debut album from an artist who is undoubtedly on the rise. The sky is truly the limit for them, as extreme mainstream appeal is certainly possible considering the catchy nature of some of the songs as well as the strength of the vocals. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and i think you will to if you like classic rock. 88/100
Lead singer Brittany Howard possesses a voice evokes memories of legends past, such as Janis Joplin. She has the kind of voice that can sing any type of music and make it sound great. On lead single "Hold On" Howard sings "Bless my heart/bless my soul/didn't think I'd make it to 22 years old/There must me someone up above saying'/Come on Brittany, you got to come on up," over some bouncing bass, a steady, tapping drum beat and matching guitar parts. It's a good song no doubt; There's a reason why the band chose it as a single…It has an immediacy that is hard to deny. It gets you from the opening notes.
However, it may just be one of my least favorite songs on the album, a true testament to the strength of the disc as a whole. There's "Hang Loose" with the opening guitar hook and the keys that fill out the background and give the song a charm that's infectious. And that's not even mentioning Howard, who really belts it full force. The quiet, yet sneakily good "Goin' To The Party" brings things down to a hush before "Heartbreaker" crashes onto the scene with its 60's hard rock/soul flavor. The explosive "Be Mine" precedes the excellent "I Ain't The Same"- easily the highlight of the album. The next to last track on the LP is a great starting point if you want something a little more aggressive. The songwriting on the disc is typically good and especially so for a band with as little seasoning as them.
That's not to say the album is without flaws. "Rise To The Sun" utilizes a rather unpleasant guitar tone that overwhelms the rest of the track; Not to mention the chorus isn't especially noteworthy. It's a somewhat repetitive song, and the things that are being repeated aren't particularly interesting. Title track "Boys & Girls" is a tale about Howard in her youth, and how as she grew up she was told she could not keep her male best friend. There are certainly qualities about the song that I enjoy, namely her voice as it is rather soothing here as well as the story being told. However, I realize this song is not for everyone as it takes repeated listens until it fully reveals itself. Album closer "On Your Way" is a little heavy for my taste as the dream like instrumentation coupled with the quite depressing lyrics can be a little much if you are in a good mood. I appreciate a sad song every now and then, don't get me wrong. I just think it's a little much here.
All in all, it's an very solid debut album from an artist who is undoubtedly on the rise. The sky is truly the limit for them, as extreme mainstream appeal is certainly possible considering the catchy nature of some of the songs as well as the strength of the vocals. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and i think you will to if you like classic rock. 88/100
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Come Around Sundown-Kings Of Leon
Kings Of Leon-Come Around Sundown
The Kings Of Leon drop their earlier sound in favor of a new arena ready sound that more often than not is a letdown to fans of their earlier music. This cd is better than their last effort however. The one area I feel like they dropped the ball would be lyrically, as Caleb said himself all the lyrics were ad libbed in the studio, and it shows. Sub par on the front end, things do pick up slightly towards the end.
The End-This song enters U2 territory with its tapping drums and atmospheric guitar intro that flows into nothing more than a repetitive plucking baseline and accentual guitars. This definitely sounds like it belongs on their last effort, Only By The Night. As an album opener it falls short of their previous openers but at the same time is a decent indicator of what to expect on this album. --63/100
Radioactive- The lead single off this album was met with much backlash, although it was more so over the video than the actual song itself. That being said, when listening to this song it sounds like the boys from Tennessee are just going through the motions. It's a decent enough song without doubt, but would unquestionably pale in comparison to a number of songs on their first three discs. --67/100
Pyro- It begins with a twinkling guitar riff and a down tempo drumbeat that sets the tone early. As previously noted, this is the sound of a band that has reached the top and probably feels like they don't have anything left to prove. This is apparent in the quality of the songs, which are generally lower. There's not much interesting to report in this song, although the last minute of the song at least provides something worthwhile to listen to which cannot be said for most of the track. --64/100
Mary-It's not until the fourth song on the cd that the listener is rewarded for trudging through the first three tracks. With its groovy bass and nice rhythm guitar sections, the instruments are nicely complimented by the backing vocals and Caleb's voice. A nice guitar solo is sprinkled in the middle that really gives this song the legs it needs to be a winner. --73/100
The Face-This could be one of my least favorite tracks on the album. It's repetitive nature and lack of an interesting instrumental aspect really holds this song down. I do like the guitar part from Matthew, the lead guitarist, but overall this song is missing something. --67/100
The Immortals- Another down tempo track full of what you've come to expect from KOL over the past 2 years. There's not much to write about this song because it's neither good nor bad, it just exists. The lyrics are repetitive as is the overall sound. Another one of several songs on the cd that is missing that raw edge that used to be present in their band. --67/100
Back Down South- One of the better songs on the album, Back Down South shows the Kings moving into new territory with this arena ready country anthem. The difference this time is the influx of new instruments such as the violin. Combine that with a pounding bass drum beat that moves the song along at a brisk pace, and Caleb's voice sounds especially good on this track. Highly recommended for fans of the band, as this song could easily fall into place on any of their first three albums. --80/100
Beach Side-A surfy, sunny track that propels itself with its warm bass beat and guitar tracks that intertwine well to give the song a signature sound. Instrumentally speaking I feel like the song is well crafted and is well composed. --74/100
No Money- The nifty bass kicks in, and once the backing vocals chime in, you hear the new KOL at their best. Good drums as well as the churning guitars of Matthew and Caleb really help this song find its way. The solo starts out a little slow but eventually builds into something noteworthy, and it sounds especially good when the backing vocals come back in.--83/100
Pony Up-The poppy drums accentuate the almost identical guitar parts from Matthew and Caleb, and bassist Jared chimes in with a funky bass riff straight from their earlier music. If the band isn't going to turn back the timetable to 2003, then this is the direction that they should head. Not the best song on the cd, but a solid effort that fans of the band should enjoy. --74/100
Birthday-This song contains in my opinion some of the best bass on the cd, while the drums aren't particularly memorable. This is another example of how most of their new music is aimed at a different audience than before, but this isn't particularly a bad thing on this song. I do enjoy the twitching guitar that seems to tick along with the beat. --70/100
Mi Amigo- Instrumentally this is my favorite song on the cd, as I think they find their stride as musicians on this track. The tempo-keeping bass chugs along with short strumming guitar parts that pick up when Caleb sings, "Go on, you know," as the instruments all chime back in to create a nice full sound. My favorite part of the album comes in the last verse in the transition between verse and chorus. Overall a solid if not unspectacular song, and one that should be listened to more than once. --80/100
Pickup Truck-Not a huge fan of this song, although the creeping baseline at the beginning is a nice addition. This sounds like KOL-lite, something they can't seem to get away from now a days. --61/100
OVERALL SCORE--68/100
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